


say it with your hands

by syazzypanda



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: M/M, lots of pining and kisses and Luke Trying His Best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25148611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syazzypanda/pseuds/syazzypanda
Summary: "He is super known for his hands." - Justin Foley, S4:E9 "Prom"Alex comes to the realisation that the rumours about Charlie weren't too far off after all.
Relationships: Charlie St. George/Alex Standall
Comments: 29
Kudos: 163





	say it with your hands

**Author's Note:**

> This is Ricoka's fault for bringing up Justin's comment and I've been haunted by the implications ever since.

Alex can honestly admit that he’s never paid particularly close attention to Charlie’s hands. 

No really. 

He hasn’t. 

High school gossip is vicious anywhere. At Liberty? Well, Alex doesn’t need to look far to know exactly how brutal it can get. 

After Hannah, after the rippling repercussions of their actions before her death and beyond, it was fair to say Alex had more pressing issues on his mind most days beyond daily high school chatter.

He’s learned to tune out the noise for the most part, especially when it came to the mundane. It was hard to care about whispers passed around about which jock is cheating on his girlfriend with which cheerleader. Or which sophomore got caught smoking pot behind the school. Or that the science teacher had caught Liberty High’s new quarterback with his hands under his girlfriend’s shirt in the chemistry lab. 

Alex truly, wholeheartedly, cannot find it within himself to give a shit. 

And then the new quarterback made himself an accessory to a crime to cover for him, so Alex had to pay attention.

* * *

i.

The first time he noticed them was during winter break. Charlie had been raving about an Italian restaurant two hours out of Evergreen, and after ten minutes of back and forth Tyler and Alex had finally caved after he had offered to 1. Drive the whole way, and 2. Buy them both dinner. 

(“Just so you know, Tyler and I are very expensive dates,” Alex had remarked, fiddling with his seat belt. Charlie laughed, and from the back seat Tyler wondered if he had imagined the way his eyes stayed on Alex as he started the car.)

They had been on the road for just over an hour when it happened. 

Alex had been scrolling through his Spotify playlist when a sudden screech of rubber on asphalt prompted him to look up just in time to see a flash of shattered glass as the car ahead of them crashed to a stop. Charlie cursed, slamming the break so hard that Alex’s phone went flying out of his hand from the sudden halt. Two things kept Alex himself from snapping forwards, 1. His seat belt, strapped around him, and 2. Charlie’s right hand, thrown out across his chest.

Maybe it was the sudden adrenaline rush, but Alex was suddenly aware of the seat belt pinching his neck and the broken glass glinting across the road and Tyler’s heavy breathing in the backseat. He was aware that they had managed to stop less than a foot from the bumper of the other car. He was _very_ aware of Charlie’s hand pressed against his chest, warm and solid even through his layers. 

Charlie took a deep, shaky inhale, left hand still clutching the steering wheel, “You guys alright?”

“Y-Yeah, holy shit,” Tyler replied, face pale.

Alex made a sound that came out as a cross between a hum and an exhale, prompting Charlie to look over at him in concern. Alex’s gaze was levelled on Charlie’s fingers, splayed across his chest, just beneath the collar of his sweater. A part of his brain, the small, irrational voice that has lived there all his life, wondered how those fingers would feel against the sensitive skin at the base of hi-

Charlie withdrew his hand, snapping him out of his thoughts. The younger boy was peering at him with clear concern on his face, “Alex, are you hurt?” 

Alex shook his head, warmth rushing to his cheeks, “N-No, I’m fine.”

If Tyler noticed that Charlie’s hand had lingered much longer than necessary, he didn’t say anything. 

(Charlie did end up buying them dinner, but Alex bought them dessert from the gelato place next door because Charlie had saved both of their ‘sorry lives’. He tried not to stare at Charlie’s fingers around the cone, how he licked at th- _what the hell is wrong with you stop._ )

* * *

ii.

Alex had never thought much of Luke Holliday and he doubted the jock did either, but they had been civil--borderline friendly even--ever since Luke first tried to hook him up with steroids the previous year, even if it didn’t pan out. 

The past few weeks however Alex noticed that Luke had been… extra friendly; lingering around Charlie and Alex whenever they were out in the hallway and once even inviting Alex to sit with them at lunch. 

Still, Luke was a football player, one who still upheld Monty’s memory. And despite the newfound, unexpected friendship--if they can even call it that--Alex trusted Luke just as far as he can throw him. So he had politely declined the invite. He saw, from the corner of his eye, Charlie getting up to follow him and despite the twinge of guilt he hurried off as fast he could. It was better that the football players still trusted Charlie to have some loyalty to them. 

(Luke saw the crestfallen expression on Charlie’s face as Alex walked away and grimly decided that he was going to be the best goddamn wingman whether Charlie wanted it or not, just to keep that expression from his face again.)

Still, he was friends with Charlie. Which was why Alex found himself sitting opposite Luke Holliday in the library as Charlie helped them both with Spanish. 

“Yo, St. George.” Luke tossed a balled up piece of paper at Charlie’s head, despite the fact that he already had the quarterback’s attention. The paper bounced off Charlie's hair and into Alex’s lap. Luke jerked his head to the back of the library, “Isn’t that Betty?”

Charlie glanced over and Alex, discreetly, followed his gaze. He was curious. That’s it. 

“Oh yeah, it is,” Charlie replied, “I haven’t seen her in a while.”

“Who’s she?” Alex asked, glancing at the group of girls who had commandeered the table at the back. He had no clue who he was supposed to be looking at.

“We dated for a bit last year,” Charlie answered, looking back down at his book. “So where were we aga-”

Luke interrupted, “Dude, he went all out when he asked her to Homecoming. Flowers, a whole line of football players holding up signs. Charlie doesn’t fuck around.”

Charlie laughed, a blush blooming up his neck, “Yeah, that happened.” He looked over at Alex, “We went out on maybe three dates at most, mostly because the guys said she liked me. She’s nice.”

“Cool?” The syllable came out as a question instead of a statement. It wasn’t that Alex didn’t care, he just didn’t understand why they were telling him this _now_. “So was she the one Mr Bluman caught you with in the lab last year?”

Not that he cared. Again, he was curious. 

Charlie’s flush crept up to the tips of his ears, “Y-Yeah, but it wasn’t like how people were saying.” So he _did_ know about the rumours, and from his reaction it seemed as if he was more than ready to move on past it.

Luke, however, was not. In fact, what he said next was what made Alex decide that this study session had been going on for too long. Luke looked pointedly from Charlie to Alex, then said: “Our boy Charlie here is good with his hands.”

Despite himself, despite everything inside him yelling at him to just get up and leave, Alex glanced at Charlie’s hands fluttering nervously on the table. They definitely were nice hands. They looked strong, the curve of his fingers enticing enough for Alex to imagine having them-- _stop stop stop what the fuck Standall._

So instead, he mumbled an excuse about needing to find Tyler, grabbed his notes and was out of the library before even stuffing them into his bag. 

(Luke didn’t know what he did wrong.)

* * *

iii.

Luke was right.

Charlie was, in fact, _very_ good with his hands. 

Said hands were currently buried in his hair, tugging back with just enough force to make Alex bare his neck. Then Charlie was there, mouthing at the sensitive skin just beneath his earlobe and _holy shit_ he’d be damned if the feeling of his boyfriend’s toned body cradled between his hips on the bed wasn’t the hottest thing he’s ever experienced in his life. So far.

Then Charlie was dragging his fingernails down the back of his neck, coming to rest at the dip of his collarbones and a thumb pressed beneath his jaw. Alex could feel his pulse thundering and from the grin on Charlie’s face, he knew that his boyfriend could feel it too. 

He swept his thumb lightly against the spot. “Someone’s excited,” his voice was breathy. Alex wanted to point out that Charlie seemed pretty excited too but then Charlie dipped his hips flush against him and yeah, _that_ was definitely the hottest thing he’s ever experienced. 

The rush of blood leaving his head was enough to disorient him, but then Charlie’s hand was tugging at the waistband of his pants and it was enough to bring him back, “Wa- Charles, stop.”

Charlie pulled back as if he had been electrocuted and Alex immediately felt the chill take hold in his absence. Charlie braced himself over Alex, clearly concerned, “Shit, did I hurt you?”

“No, no. It’s not that.” He could still feel his pulse roaring in his ears, “I just, uh, don’t want to have sex. I mean, not yet.”

Charlie’s concern was now marred with confusion. He shook his head, “I didn’t think… I wasn’t expecting sex.”

Alex’s face was burning, but he held Charlie’s gaze. “I… I’d rather keep our clothes on for now, if that’s okay?”

The lines on Charlie’s forehead smoothed out as the understanding settled. “Of course,” he pressed a soft kiss to Alex’s forehead, gently stroking his thumb across his jaw, “I’m sorry. I should have asked.”

“It’s fine,” Alex replied, settling his hands on Charlie’s waist to tug him closer. Charlie took the hint and lowered himself back down gently against his boyfriend. “I’m guessing you’re used to people taking their clothes off for you.”

The younger boy dipped his head and kissed the side of Alex’s mouth, “Not really. Anyway, the only person I want to see naked is you. When you’re ready.” 

His thumb was still stroking Alex’s jaw, and Alex realised how easy it was to fall into bed with Charlie with those hands coaxing him down. He peered up at his boyfriend, grinning, “Okay, but I _do_ like kissing though.”

“I’m glad, because I really do enjoy kissing you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! <3


End file.
